Month: October 2017

I remember the power that rang through the voice that was speaking to me and commanding Satan to turn me loose. The large hand was placed on­­­ my forehead, and the prayer continued with more screaming at the enemy. “Satan wants to take you out! He wants to literally destroy you, but he must bow!”

Sadly, I was suddenly feeling a little prideful that Satan wanted to obliterate me. Was I so anointed that he was on a mission to take me out? No, I was just your ordinary follower of Jesus/Yeshua trying to live a holy (set apart) life. I prayed. I read His Word, and I tried to live a life worthy of His commandments. This is hard enough to do in this day and time. But this Shepherd was telling my enemy to bow. I wondered why I had never read of any great men of the Father in the Bible praying such a prayer. Did they? I began to study this and wore my small concordance out looking up every verse on the “father of lies.” Although I studied every scripture concerning him, in no place did I find that type of prayer. I hear so many today praying to Satan in the assembly. I know that I have mentioned this in an earlier chapter, but the need for truth on this matter, especially in the charismatic church today is much needed.
I have heard many pray prayers that contain dialogue like this, “We bind you Satan, you must bow, and you cannot cross this bloodline. Satan you are a liar and the father of lies. Satan you are under my feet.” Is he? If he is, why does Paul warn that he roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour? Again, If You bind him, how long is he bound? What is he doing while you yell at him?

So back to the man praying over me, he continued with a great swelling boast: “I take authority over the powers of the airways, and I command you to take your filthy hands off of my sister…” Again, this didn’t sit well with me. If we had power over the airways, we could stop the missiles from hitting Israel. We could end wars. Well, you get the picture.

I was raised in a church with this particular teaching, but I have to tell you, I just don’t agree with it, and I don’t find it biblical. Now once again I want to show you in the word of God, precept upon precept, and line upon line. When we study the Bible both the Older and Newer portions, we have a complete picture of how the Godliest men and women fought their battles and nowhere did they converse with or curse Satan during those times. Job didn’t. King David didn’t. Moses didn’t, and neither did the mighty men and women of Jesus/Yeshua’s day.

After Paul and Silas are thrown in prison and beaten unmercifully, they didn’t curse Satan. They praised Adonai by lifting their voices and singing praises. Let’s read that account: “A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!” Acts 16:22-26 NLT.

No yells or threats made to Satan, but they do go on to lead the jailer to salvation.

Once when Paul was speaking to the church in Thessalonica he had this to say, “We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us” (1 Thessalonians 2:18 NLT). Let the scripture speak for itself. There is no record of him talking to Satan; he just says he was delayed. We also have to remember Satan means adversary or enemy.

Peter, chapter two, discusses false teachers and prophets that would be among us. Then the passage describes some of their characteristics: … “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed, they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed” (2nd Peter 2:2-3 NLT).

Peter went on to explain just how corrupt these men are. “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;” (2nd Peter 2:10-12 NLT).

Jude had this to say: “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core” (Jude 1:8-11 KJV).

Jude uses three different people in the Bible to describe them. Cain who murdered his brother over the jealousy of Abel’s righteousness. Next, he uses Balaam who would have cursed Israel for his greed if G-d had not stopped him and Korah who rose up against Moses and Aaron and tried to exalt himself in the camp. However, instead, the earth opened her mouth and swallowed him.
Now if angels don’t speak evil to Satan but say, “The Lord rebuke you.” Should we not tread where we are ignorant? And why should so much time be spent talking to the enemy? Wouldn’t it be better to cast out the demon and let the person who comes for deliverance get into G-d’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit? What power is there in repeating repetitious prayers to the enemy? None. According to Peter, Jude, and many others, we don’t have any business doing that anyway. We just learned that men who do this are filthy dreamers–brute beast even. They are corrupt, filled with pride, arrogance, and ignorance.

Now in the Older Testament (Tanakh), there is a story about Daniel and his prayers getting through. Daniel says a prayer during a twenty-one day fast, and an angel appears to him. Let’s look at that closely.

“Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days, the spirit prince[c] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels,[d] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.[e] Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come” (Daniel 10:12-14 NLT).

Now Daniel didn’t know there was a war in heaven for his words. Daniel wasn’t commanding the Prince of Persia to bow. HaShem sent Michael the archangel to help this angel battle a General and ruler over Persia. The rulers at that time were fierce! Remember they threw Daniel into a den full of hungry lions. Think about world leaders for a bit and remove the focus from how it was explained to you by your pastor or priest.

Daniel pours his heart and soul out to God in chapter nine and ten. He humbles himself through prayer and repents for his nation and the people. He knew God had made a specific link between these seventy years in captivity and the number of Sabbaths they had missed. Just like the famous verse we quote so often in times of need, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
However, when we read verse ten, we understand the secret Daniel knew about this Prince of Persia.

(Jeremiah 29:10) “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.”

Daniel knew that the time was getting close to being fulfilled. However, the Prince of Persia knew that as well. Earlier, in Daniel chapter five, we read about a feast put on by Belshazzar for thousands. Who was Belshazzar? He was a sixth century BC Prince of Persia.

“Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them” (Daniel 5:1-2. ASV).
He must have had a reason for drinking from those vessels at this time. And I am betting that he thought the seventy-year prophecy had passed and that he had been triumphant over Israel’s God. Then the finger of Yahweh wrote upon the wall of his palace, Belshazzar died, and Babylon was taken over by the Persians. You can yell at Satan and Princes over territories, but ultimately God is in control and what moves God’s heart is prayer, fasting, and repentance like Daniel did.

I honor the ministers who are gifted and take on the foulest demons from hell, but at the same time, I think a lot of this doctrine needs light. Conversing with Satan is not one of the ingredients for victory. Getting puffed up and shouting at a being G-d controls, created even, and uses for His purposes is not wise.
How do these ministers think that they have a right to make Satan bow when God has sent him? The pride of it all is baffling to me. Paul had this to say about the wicked in the church who wouldn’t repent, “Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns” (1 Corinthians 5:5 NLT). Do you knock on Satan’s door and say, “Hey buddy, I got a live one for ya!” No, we have got to start thinking clearer about verses.
Satan shows up in the Newer Testament when the Spirit leads Yeshua into the wilderness to be tempted by him. Ironic? I think not. Hopefully, you are getting a better understanding of your adversary. Praying prayers where men and women of God shout at Satan is not mentioned in the Bible. Yeshua gave us an example of how to pray. He said to pray after this manner,

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:5-8 KJV).

Yeshua said to pray to be delivered from evil and for us not to be led into temptation.

In the Newer Testament, we hear about Satan or the Devil, our adversary, but not once do we hear anyone conversing or shouting at him. Even when Yeshua was warning Peter about Satan, he didn’t say anything but the fact that Satan desired to have him. Let’s read to get more understanding.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32 NLT).

Notice Satan had to ask Jesus/Yeshua if he could get permission to sift Peter. Also, we notice by reading this that Jesus doesn’t say anywhere that He told Satan to flee or bow, but that He instead was praying for Simon Peter’s faith to be strengthened. He was praying for him to pass the test. Shouldn’t we follow the examples set before us in the scriptures? Talking to Satan is a waste of time and energy. Just think you could be praising the King of Kings! The book of James says this, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 KJV).

How did the Yeshua converse with the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness? Did He curse him and tell him to bow? Did he tell him that one day he would be shut up in a pit and laugh at him? Again, no. He said, “It is written…” (Matt 4:4 KJV). Again, he said, “It is written….” (Matt 4:7 KJV). “Get thee hence, Satan: For it is written….” (Matt 4:10 KJV). In Luke, He says, “It is written…”, “It is said…”, “Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written” (Luke 4:4, 12, 8 KJV).
Yeshua fought his wilderness temptation with the Word. The enemy will come to tempt us all, and the Holy Spirit will help us overcome, but it seems we do that by using the word of Adonai.

“…for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11 KJV).

This is the scripture God gives us to follow. He said we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. If we keep talking to Satan and incorporating him into our day when things don’t go right, aren’t we really giving him attention and more credit than he deserves?